Linguine with Red Cabbage and a Dolcetto

Update: I made this again in fall of 2015, and added some leftover turkey, as shown in the photo above. Stay tuned for details of that version.

A lot of cabbage can roll in via the CSA, so this Food & Wine recipe for Linguine with Red Cabbage caught my eye. This could prove a welcome relief from red cabbage salads and slaws. The recipe is quite simple basically you saute onions, garlic and then the red cabbage together until the cabbage is tender. Then toss with linguine and a healthy dose of feta and you have simple, tasty dish. Click through to the recipe link for full details.

I often go in my own direction in terms of wine pairings, but this time, I followed their suggestion of serving it with a Dolcetto. For the uninitiated, Dolcetto is a red wine grape common in the Piedmont region of Italy. Tends to be moderately priced; it was recommended for its fruity, low tannic qualities to match the cabbage. It so happened, Ray and Lori had just returned to Pairings from a “research” trip to Italy, where Anna Maria Abbono was one of the wineries they visited. They carry one of her Dolcettos, so I went with that Anna Maria Abbono Langhe Docletto for this dish. The choice of Dolcetto, and this bottle in particular, was spot on! The wine was fruit forward and very pleasant to sip along with the tasty dish. Try it for yourself!